Samsung HW-Q990D review: Atmos tested and gamer approved

Most other features and settings can be accessed through the remote and the on-board display, but it’s usually easier to use the SmartThings app. The basic design lets you choose a sound mode (I generally stick with Standard), adjust the equalizer, introduce enhancements like the Active Voice Amplifier, and set channel levels.

I appreciate Samsung’s inclusion of channel levels for most of the bar’s gazillion audio channels, but getting the levels locked was the most difficult part of my evaluation. I placed the surround speakers directly behind my couch due to space constraints, which meant I had to lower them all the way down and even raise the other channels to balance things out.

This task was much easier with Sonos’ Era 300 speakers (9/10, WIRED recommends) connected to the Arc Ultra, because Sonos TruePlay calibration adjusts the sound to your room ( although Standalone Wi-Fi speakers can have their own quirks). Automatic calibration is something I’d expect in any system that costs nearly $2,000, yet Samsung fails to add it every year. The company’s Space Fit feature is supposed to analyze audio in real time, but I didn’t notice any appreciable change.

Another beef is an ongoing issue with volume when using Spotify Connect. If you’re streaming directly from Spotify, the volume adjustment weirdly jumps up or down seven steps per click, so the sound is always too loud or too quiet. Add to that the lack of Chromecast, and Android users are forced to control streaming directly from SmartThings or grab an unnecessary remote. It’s a simple solution, but that’s also why it’s so annoying.

Sound spiral

Despite its streaming quirks, the Q990D has the goods you need. Every component in the four-piece system works in harmony to deliver a powerful, balanced, and fantastically smooth soundstage across everything you play. You won’t quite get the premium detail found on bars like the Arc Ultra, but there’s enough tactile punch to appreciate the little things, and plenty of bombast to lift your cinematic moments to new heights, quite literally.

Not surprisingly, Dolby Atmos is the star of the show. The “Amaze” scene from my Atmos demo disc was definitely a great moment. I could almost feel the dampness all around me in the buzzing of insects in the foreground, while rolling thunder cracked in deep surprise, and rain finally fell from the top of my head to place me deep within the forest plants.